Ruling-machine.



Patented may 2o, |9o2.'

A. MQ wHlTTEN.

BULING MACHINE.

A(Appliwtion mea Aug. s1. 1901.)

4 (No Model.)

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WITNESGES,

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no. 7on,27|. Patented may 2o, |902.

A. M. wHlT-TEN. Y

RULING MACHINE.

(Application led Aug. 31.\ 1901.)

(no Model.)

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UNITED STATES ARTHUR M. WRITTEN, oF wEST MEDFoRD, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSTGNOR TO LIBRARY BUREAU, OF BOSTO oE MASSACHUSETTS. f

N, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No; 700,271, dated May 20, 190.2. Appncaion Hed August s1. 1901.sesamo. 73,997. dro model.)

chines, of which the following is a specifica-1V My invention relates toautomatic rulingmachines; and it consists.inimprovements whereby papersheets or cards can be more zftccurately and uniformly ruled thanheretoore. 1

Theutility of-iny invention lies especiallyv in mechanical combinationsby which a rullng-machine is enabled to rule lines which do not extendfrom edgetoedgeof-the blank, l

butwhich begin at a point or on a line inside the 3edge and extendtherefrom to the farther edge ofthe blank, like the vertical'lines onbill-heads, pages forfbooks of account, and the like.

In the drawings hereto annexed I show an embodiment ofmy improvements asappliedI to the wellknown Hickox ruling'- machine, which. employs acloth-belt conveyer for the paper blanks, in connection with tapes whichtravel-in contactwith th'e belt, and stationary ruli`ng-pens securedtova'pen-beam or equivalent'support.

Inthe drawings, Figure l is a vertical lon` gitudinal elevation, andFig. 2 a plan view, of such a inachinewith my improvements appliedthereto.y I

For convenience Lin 'readingthe -drawings the following system oflettering is used:

A designatesgenerally the frame ofthe ma-` chine, andV the Stationaryparts which compose the frame are indicated by c c ct2,'.&c.

B and b h, &:c., designate thel blank-supply table and th'e blanks invarious posi-tions.

O designates'generally the blank-conveyer, the specific parts of whichare indicated by c o',-&c.` f s' D designatesgenerally the drivingmechan-r ism, oflwliich the several parts are indicated by d d, &c.

E designates generally the edge-gage devices, whose subordinate partsare indicated by e e', dac.

and-thereby drives the main gear d5. gear d5 meshes directly with gearsd6 and 17 and through an idler d8 and gear d? drives the gear dg.

F designates generally the front gate, whose component and connectedpartsare indicated byffzce. i l Y G designates generally the Stop-gate,whose component and connected parts are indicated I designates generallythe inkingdevices, whose component and connected parts are indicated byi t', dac; f

P designates generally the pen mechanism, whose component and connectedparts are inf dicated by pp', dac.,

T designates generally the moving tapes, .which coperate with theblank-conveyer C,

land t zf, 85e., indicate the several parts of the tape mechanism.

The driving mechanism -D derives its power from a inain belt d andbelt-pulleyd. A

udouble belt-pulley cl2 carries the crossed belt d3 and open beltd4,-which drive the'blankconveyer and tape mechanism, respectively, bymeans of pulleys @zand t4, Fig. 2. pulley d is keyed to the shaft d10,which is hung on the lower side of the frame-platesl, T e

The gears dG,-CZ7, and dg are secured and impart motion to thecam-frames G', P, and F', respectively. These camframes, with the camssecuredy thereto, constitute the operating mechanism for the stopgateparts G, the pen parts P, and front-gate parts F, as presently to bedescribed. The

gears dd, and di are pitched and sized so as to rotate the cam-framesiG'F F.' all at the same speed. The arrows on the several belts, pulleys,and gea-rs indi-cate the vdirection of their motion when-the machine isrunning.

' The blank-conveyer consists of a cloth belt C and tapes T. `The belt Opasses over the driving-roll c, which is on the same shaft with thepulley c2, Fig. 2, passe's"the;1ce`'infan inclined direction to thecross-bar a?, thence :horizontallyftothe back` roll 'c",` ahdthence tothe driving-roll c.- ThetapesT. pass around lthe tape-'driving roll t,Fig. l, which is driven by the pulley t4, Fig. 2, and thence pass incontact with the belt O to the lower back roll t3, Fig. 1, thence to theupper back roll t2,

ICO

j) at thence to the upper front roll t', and thence to the driving-rollt. The tapes Tand belt C move with equal speed, the tapes serving tohold the blanks to be ruled upon the belt C with gentle pressure.

The several mechanisms which compose the machine are mountedon the frameA, which consists of side plates or beams a., legs a', front and backstandards a2 d, tape roll brackets a3, ink-beam a5, Fig. 2, and crossbarai. These paris are braced together in the ordinary manner.

Papel' or card blanks are introduced into the machine at the table B,where an attendant may sit and feed the blanks one by one into theclutch of the belt C and tapes T, where they pass over and under thedrivingrolls c and t.Y The blanks are carried by the conveyer iirst tothe pointb, Where the front gate F may act upon them, thence to thepoint b, where the stop-gate G and ruling devices P come into action,and thence to the point b2, where they may be delivered into a basket orother suitable receptacle.

lVithout regard to their correlation and timing the movements of theseveral parts ot' the blank alining, regulating, and ruling mechanismsare as follows:

Proceeding with the blank-conveying belt C, we come first to what Idesignate as the front-gaie mechanism F. This consists of the gatef,mounted on the rock-shaftf, to which is secured the rocker-arm f2, whichcarries at its outer end the camirollfs. The rock-shaft f is journaledin bearings as on the side frames a. By means of screw-bolts f4 the camfx is secured tothe cam-frame F, which consists of a disk integral withor rigidly fastened to ,the gear d". The cam fx intermittently acts onthe cam-rollf3,a11d thereby lifts and lets fall the gatef. .Vhen thecam-rollf3 is riding on the high dwell of the cam fx, the points f5 ofthe gatef touch the belt C at points between the tapes T.

Vc come next to the ruling mechanism P. This consists et' ruling-pens p,which in the machine here shown are metallic channeled quills secured byclamping to the oscillating penholder, which is a beam 1J', fast on arockshaft p2, which is journaled in the brackets a on the side frames a.A rocker-arm p9 is secured to one end of the rock-shaft p2 and carriesat its outer end the cam-roll p4. This cam-roll p is actuated by the campx, which is secured to the cam-frameP' by screw-bolts p5. The cam px asit passes under the cam p4 lifts the pens p from the belt C. lVhen thecam-roll pl falls from the high dwell et thecam px, the pens move downinto ruling position by gravity. The pensp are supplied with ink eitherfrom flannel or felt pads or from an ink-trough, suchas that shown att'.

The inking devices I consist of the trough t" and Wicks ft2, which aresecured to the pens The trough 2'/ rests upon a cross-bar a5, extendingacross the machine between the brackets a, Fig. 2.

Next in order is the stop-gate mechanism G. The stop-gate ,f/ is securedto short rockshafts g by arms g2. One of these arms g2 at the side ofthe machine shown in the upper part of Fig. 2 is extended upward and hasjointed to it the link g3. The link g3 is adjustably secured to therocker-arm g5 by a clamp gl. The rocker-arm g5 is secured to a:rock-shaft g, Fig. 2, mounted on the standards g21 and extending acrossthe machine and carrying upon its opposite end the rockerarm (/T. Thearm gi carries the cam-roll g8. A cam gx, secured to the cam-frame G byscrews g2, causes the cam-roll g3 to rise and fall as the cam-frame G',which is rigidly secured to the gear-Wheel d, rotates. An arm Q15,secured to the rockshaft near the arm g5, has att-ached to it aretracting-spring g,

which is secured to the stud gw on the machine-frame.

The parts ot the mechanism G so fardescribed control the rise and fallof the stopgate g. When the cam gx lifts the cam-roll qs, it moves thegate down to the belt Cby means ofthe train of parts described-to Wit,rocker-arm gi, rock-shaft g, rocker-arm g5, link g3, arm g2, and shaftg-and when the cam gx passes from under the roll gs therctracting-spring gl1 lifts the gate g.

The gate g is made adjustable with reference to the pens p in thefollowingmanncr (best observed in Fig. 2:) The short shafts g aremounted in bearing-blocks g, which are pivotally secured to the barsg1". These bars gw are adjustably mounted in clamps g, secured tostandards gm by nuts 012. Screws g2 control the pressure of the clamps gon Vthe bars gl. Vhen it is desired toadjust the position of the gate gwith reference to the pens p, the screws g2 are slackened and the barsgw, carrying the gate g, are moved to the point desired, the clamp g4,which holds` the link g3, being eased oil topermitthenecessarymovementof thelink. Then when the gate has beenproperly placed the clamps g4 and gu are again settight. At such timesit may be desirable also to hold the gate g out of contact with the beltC. For this purpose I provide the catch Q17, Fig. l, pivoted on theblock g. While the machine is in operation the catch g17 is thrown backto its fullline position, Fig. l; but when the gate g is to be heldfixed, as during adjustments7 the gate f/ is turned by hand, the catch gplaced in the dotted-line position in engagement with the notch gis. Thegate y is provided with contact-teeth g1, Fig. 2, which when the gate isdown rest on lthe belt C between the-tapes T.

By the mechanisms above described, which are actuated in common by themain shaft d1" and which control, respectively, the move ments of thefront gate j", pens p, and stopgate g, these three principal tools ofthe ma-A chine are moved toward and from the belt C, coming in contacttherewith or With blanks resting upon it at predetermined regularintervals. The manner and the means by which IOO IIO

these-intervals are regulated `and determined will now be described. Thecamsfx,px, and gx are adjustable circumferentially upon the frames F',Pl, and G, so that theirtimes of [operation on the cam-rolls 3, 34, and(s may clamping-screws f, p5, and g2, which pass through the frames F',P', and G' and gearwheels d, 17, and el, respectively, are then turnedin and bind the camsfxpx gxin their desired positions.Apropernumberofchangecams are provided for each cam-frame, so thatadjustments beyond the range of a single cam may be secured. Thus therelative times when-in the operation of the machine the front gate f,pensp, and stop-gate g move toward and touch the belt C orblanks placedthereon can be changed at will.

With respect to blanks which are fed into the machine at B the functionsof the principal tools-the front gate f, pensp, and stopgate g-are asfollows: Blanks are fed into the machine at B by the attendant inchargeor by automatic blank-feeding mechanism, if such is provided, with asmuch regularity as possible, the attendant timing his movements so thateach blank will strike the teeth f5V of the front gate f while thelatter is in its lower position. The front gate f rests on the belt Cduring the greater part of therotation of the cam-frame F', so thatthere is little chance of a blank escaping the operation of the gate.This front gatef stops each blank as itis carried forward by thebelt Cand tapes T, which slip easily on the surfaces of the blank while thelatter is held in-arrest by the gate. Thus the front gate regulates thespacing of the blanks upon the belt with greater accuracy than theattendant can be expected to attain and insures their delivery to themore actively operative tools-the stop-gate g and pens p.

If an automatic blank-introducing mechanism is provided which insuresregular feed.

blanks only partially, beginning at a point within the edges of "theblank., Heretofore on ruling-machines of the belt-conveyer class rulingof this kind has been done by timing the descent and ascent of a gateplaced like the front gate'f with the descent and ascent l By thisop'-yof pens placed likethe pens p. eration the blank was carried withoutinterruption under the pens, which.' caught the surface of the blank onthe fly.7 As might have been expected, the Aruling donein this way hasnever been perfect, the pens usually catching the surface of the Vblankkabove or below the line where they were intended to begin ruling. Withmy improvements the front gate fdoes not have to be timedwith specialreference to the moment when the pens pdescendto the vbelt C, but withreference to the moment of descent of the stopf gate g. Even this timingof the front'gate f l.

is not necessarily exact. It may vary slightly withoutl doing any harm.

The timing of the descents of the pens'pf and stop-gate g depends uponthe character of the work to be done-in other words, upon the width ofthe space between the frontyor upper edge of the blank'and thepointwhere the ruling is to begin. This space is measured n-the blank and is,say, the distance between the top line already ruled across the blankand the upper edge of the blank.A The stop-gate carriage, which consistsofthe b'ars glo and their eonnectionswith the rock-shaft g', .is thenmoved until the points g19 of the gate g when touching the belt C are.'ata'` distance from the pens, measured along the belt, equal to theunruled space to be left at the top of the blank. Then the cams pxan'd'gx are set so that the gate g will descend to the IOO belt C beforethe pens p and will rise from the belt after the pens p have descendedand while'they are in contact with the blank. Then the'cam fx is set sothat the gate-points f5 rise from the belt before the vgate g descendsto the belt by an interval about equal to the time it takes for a pointon the belt to travel from the gate-points f5 to the gatepoints Q19.This timing is with reference to the travel of a single blank.The'blanks may be fed fast enough to cause more than one blank to lieonthe conveyer between the gate fand the gate g.

The pen-cam 19x is preferably tobe select; ed of a lengthwhich-corresponds to the size IIO of the blanks or the length of thelinesv to be vide a side gage at E, which'lies close to the surface ofthe belt C in front of the stop-gateg and is iixed adjustably to theframe aby brackets e2. The endE of the side gage is inclined to thedirection of 'movement of blank, while the latter part e is `paralleltherewith. The attendant feeds the blanks in on the extreme edge of thebelt C, so that they are sure to strike the lslightly-inclined surface eand be moved in to be straightened by the straight-edge e beforestriking the stop-gate g.

The progress of a blank through the machine is 'as follows: After beinginserted between the belt roll c and tape-roll t the blank is carried tothe front gate f, which momentarily checks its progress. Then the frontgate f lets it go to the side gage E, which places it in the properposition laterally. Then itstrikes the stop-gateg, and while it is heldstill by the stop-gate g the pens p descend exactly upon the line whereruling is to begin, the stop-gate grises, the blank is drawn forwardunder and in contact with the pens, is ruled thereby, and passes to thedelivery end of the machine. The pens 19 rise before the next blankcomes along, the intervals between blanks having been regulated by thefront gate f.

Blanks which have been ruled by the aid of my improvements show none ofthose faults and irregularities which mar work done as heretofore. Theblank is always stationary when the pens move down upon it. If thepreliminary adjustment of the stop-gate and the timing-cams has beenproperly made, the work will be perfectly done.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a ruling-machine, the combination of a blank-conveyer, a penholderand a stopgate relatively adjustable one to the other and each movableto and from the conveyer, the stop-gate behind the penholder, penscarried by the penholder, means for intermittently moving the penholderand the stopgate to and from the conveyer, and mechanical connectionswhereby the movements of the stop-gate to and from the conveyer are madeto precede the movements of the penholder to and from the conveyer,respectively.

2. In a ruling-machine, the combination of a blank-conveyer, a penholderand a stopgate relatively adjustable one to the other and each movabletoward and from the conveyer, the stopgate behind the penholder, penscarried by the penholder, adjustable cams for intermittently moving thepenholder and the stop-gate to and from the conveyer, whereby themovements of the stop-gate to and from the conveyer are made to precedethe movements of the penholder to and from the conveyer, respectively.

3. In a ruling-machine, the combination of a blank-conveyer, a penholderand a stopgate, each movable to and from the conveyer, the stop-gatebehind the penholder, pens carried by the penholder, means forintermittently moving the penholder and the stopgate to and from theconveyer, a front gate, situated in front of thepenholder, means formoving the front gate to and from the conveyer, and mechanicalconnections whereby the movements of the stop-gate to and from theconveyer are made to precede the movements of the penholder to and fromthe conveyer,respectively,the front gate being timed to move from theconveyer before the stopgate descends thereto, by an interval notgreater than the time occupied by a point on the conveyer in passingfrom the front gate to the stop-gate.

4. In a ruling-machine, the combination of blank-conveyer, a penholderand a stop-gate, each movable to and from the conveyer, the stop-gatebehind the penholder, pens carried by the penholder, means forintermittently moving the penholder and the stop-gate to and from theconveyer, a front gate, situated in front of the penholder, adjustablecams for intermittently moving the penholder, stop-gate, and front gateto and from the conveyer, whereby the movements of the stopgate to andfrom the conveyer are made to precede the movements of the penholder toand from the conveyer, respectively, the front gate being timed to movefrom the conveyer before the stop-gate descends thereto, by an intervalnot greater than the time occupied by a point on the conveyer in passingfrom the front gate to the stop-gate.

5. In a ruling-machine, the combination of a b1ank-conveyer, apenholder, a stop-gate, a carriage therefor movably and adjustablymounted on the machine-frame, the stop-gate behind the penholder, penscarried by the penholder, means for intermittently moving the penholderand the stop-gate to and from the conveyer, and mechanism whereby themovements of the stop-gate to and from the conveyerare made to precedethe movements of the penholder to and from the conveyer, respectively.

6. In a ruling-machine, the combination of the blank conveyer, penholderand pens, stop-gate, adjustable supporting-bars therefor, brackets forsaid bars, adjustable actuating-link for the stop-gate, pen-cam andstop-gate cam, and connections therefrom to the penholder and stop-gate,respectively, whereby the movements of the stop-gate and penholder aremade to alternate, substan tially as described.

7. In a ruling-machine, the combination of 115 a blank-conveyer, apenholder and a stopgate, each movable to and from the conveyer, thestop -gate behind the penholder, pens carried by the penholder, and aside gage provided with a leading-in guide and a straightening edge,located over the conveyer close to the same end in front of thestopgate.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 29th day of August, 1901.

ARTHUR M. WI'II'ITEN.

Vitnewsses:

ROBERT CUSHMAN, FRANK S. IIARTNETT.

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